Under the Bridge

7052012

So this week was all about ‘trolling’ online. More specifically, ‘trolling’ of women online. Even more specifically, abusive ‘trolling’ of women online. Seeing as I am not a woman, or a troll, but am online, I think I am perfectly qualified to have an opinion on the issue.

Now, in my short time of being online, I can confirm that I have been ‘trolled’. I have also been abused. But never abusively ‘trolled’. Let me explain.

I’m sure everyone who has been online in the past few years has come across some of these characters before.

‘Troll’ is the first on the left with a beer in his hand. Others include ‘Lol’,

‘Da Fuq’ and ‘Forever Alone’

These are cartoon characters that are meant to be taken in a light-hearted manner. Exactly how it should be. So when I think of ‘trolling’, these are the first images that come to mind, and my friends agree with me. I have one particular friend who has got quite a number of these faces down pat, it’s disturbingly uncanny.

You can imagine the shock that I got when I found out that people take this seriously and way out of context. But in reflection, I shouldn’t have been surprised. The internet has opened up, among other things, a whole new world for bullies to take advantage of. I keep applying the same train of thought to ‘trolls’ as I do bullies in the real world; that is that they are just jealous of you for whatever they are picking on you about.

The people that go around picking on others for seemingly no apparent reason are just thugs that have nothing better to do with their time. So if you find yourself under attack, ignore it. If it is a regular thing, block said person. If they somehow manage to keep at your throat after all this, alert the correct people who are able to deal with the ‘troller’.

Just bear in mind though; it is for reasons like this that you never put too much personal detail on the internet. My user name is Seance, because my first name is in it. But what is my last name? See, totally anonymous.